Holding and locating devices for overlapping structural members



2, 1963 D. A. STEWART 3,390,905

HOLDING AND LOCATING DEVICES FOR OVERLAPPING STRUCTURAL MEMBERS FiledSept.' 15. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 2, 1968 D. A. STEWART 3,390,905

HOLDING AND LOCATING DEVICES FOR OVERLAPPING STRUCTURAL MEMBERS FiledSept. 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,390 905 HOLDINGAND LOCATING DEVICES FOR OVER- LAPPING STRUCTURAL MEMBERS Donald ArnottStewart, 31 Broadway, Westminster, London, England Filed Sept. 13, 1965,Ser. No. 486,701 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Sept. 29,1964, 39,576/ 64 8 Claims. (Cl. 287-18936) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThe disclosure of this invention pertains to unitary holding andlocating devices for overlapping structural members in which twoseparately formed elements partly embrace overlapping portions of thetwo structural members and in which the elements are secured together byone or more separately formed tie members, the structural members beingfreely slidable in said element.

This invention relates to holding and locating devices for overlappingstructural members and particularly for overlapping reinforcing rods forreinforced concrete.

In the case of reinforced pillars which support and are joined to floorbeams it has heretofore been usual to arrange for the overlappingportions of reinforcing rods for the pillars to be disposed close to afloor beam since it is easier to effect the overlapping and maintain itduring the casting of the concrete around the reinforcements. However,this results in the overlap being disposed at or close to the region ofmaximum bending stresses in the pillar and thus requires a considerablelength of overlap to be adopted. One of the objects of the presentinvention is to provide a holding and locating device which will enablethe overlap to be disposed and manipulated at a distance away from thefloor beam where the bending stresses are lower whereby the extent ofoverlap may be reduced resulting in a considerable saving in reinforcingmaterial. However, the invention is not limited to use with reinforcingrods but is applicable to other structural members, for example, can beused for locating and holding overlapping scaifolding.

According to this invention a holding and locating device for twooverlapping structural members which device is either formed as a unitor is fixed to one or both said members and comprises two spacedelements arranged to encircle or partly to encircle one or both saidstructural members, means for limiting relative axial movement betweenan element and at least one of the structural members in at least onedirection along that member and means for preventing relative axialmovement between the two elements and means for preventing axialmovement between the structural members in at least one direction.

In the case where the device is formed as a unit each said element maybe adapted to encircle or partly encircle both said structural membersand may be provided with said means for limiting relative axial movementbetween it and one of said members.

In one arrangement where the device is formed as a unit and each saidelement is adapted to encircle or partly encircle both said structuralmembers, one said element is provided with means for limiting relativeaxial 3,390,905 Patented July 2, 1968 "ice movement between it and oneof said structural members and the other structural member has a shapedportion which is engageable with a part of the device or with an end ofsaid structural member so as to prevent relative axial movement betweensaid members in one direction.

The shaped portion of said other structural member may be such that themain portions of those members may be brought into axial alignment.

Preferably means are provided for holding said portions of thestructural members in alignment.

The means for preventing relative axial movement between said twomembers in the direction of the length of the structural members maycomprise one or more tethers having opposite ends thereof connectedrespectively to said two elements and the length of which tether ortethers is selected in accordance with the extent of overlap requiredbetween the structural members.

Extensions of the aforesaid tethers may be arranged opposite said shapedportion of one of said structural members and constitute the means forholding the main portions of the structural members in axial alignment.

The said tether or each said tether may be formed from a strip, rod orwire.

One part of each of said elements may be so formed as to permit relativeaxial movement in either direction between it and one of the structuralmembers which it encircles, or partly encircles and the other part ofwhich element may be provided with an abutment or abutments adapted toengage an end face of the other structural member.

A part of each element may be provided with means for locating astructural member in one part of the element so as to leave the otherpart of the element clear for insertion of the other structural member.

In one form of construction each of said elements may comprise a closedloop arranged to extend around both structural members when arranged inoverlapping relationship one portion of which loop may be provided withsaid abutment or abutments arranged to engage an end face of one of thestructural members.

In such an arrangement an abutment may extend between opposite sides ofa loop and opposite an end of one of the structural members.

The means for preventing relative axial movement between said twoelements may comprise a single tether which may extend between and isfixed to one side of each loop.

Said single tether may be fixed to the inner side of each loop andconstitutes said means for locating said structural member in that partof the loop with which is associated said abutment.

Each end of the tether may be bent into U-shape one of the limbs ofwhich extends across and is fixed to one side of a loop and theextremity of the other limb may be fixed to the other side of the loop.

In an alternative arrangement the two elements may be attached to one ofsaid structural members in axially spaced relationship therebypreventing said relative axial movement between those elements and thatelement more remote from the end of the structural member is providedwith said means for limiting relative axial movement between it and theother structural member.

In yet a further alternative arrangement the said two elements may beattached respectively to the two structural members at a distance awayfrom an end thereof and at least one of said elements is provided withsaid 3 means for limiting relative axial movement between it and themember to which it is not attached.

The following is a description of a number of embodiments of theinvention as applied to reinforcements for reinforced concrete referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention inwhich the loops and tether are formed as a unit;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the uint as shown in FIGURE 1 andshowing two reinforcing rods in position;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view to FIGURE 1 of an alternative arrangement inwhich the loops and tethers are formed from strip material;

FIGURE 4 is a similar view to FIGURE 3 in which the sides of each loopare bent inwardly and the loops are secured together by two wires;

FIGURE 5 is a somewhat similar arrangement to FIG- URE 4 in which eachelement is formed from two rings welded together;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view to FIGURE 5 in which each element is in theform of a strip bent to form sockets facing the same direction intowhich the reinforcements may be sprung;

FIGURE 7 is a view of an arrangement similar to FIGURE 6 but in whichthe sockets face in opposite directions;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of yet a further alternative arrangement inwhich the end of one of the reinforcing rods is shaped to provide aninfiexion against which an end of the other reinforcing rod may abut soas to prevent relative axial movement in one direction between saidrods;

FIGURE 9 is a view looking from the right of FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a section on the line 1010 of FIG- URE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a side view of two overlapping reinforcements above floorlevel and in which one of the reinforcements has fixed to it two ringsfor accommodating the other reinforcements; and

FIGURE 12 is a similar view to FIGURE 11 but in which one of the socketsis on one of the reinforcements and the other is on the otherreinforcement.

Referring to the arrangement shown in FIGURES l and 2 the holding andlocating device is formed as a unit and comprises two closed loopsindicated generally at 10 and 11 having straight sides and rounded ends,the radius of curvature of which are slightly greater than the radius Itwill be seen from FIGURE 2 that the bend 17 of each U-shaped portion ofthe loop is inclined to the major axis of the loop and may therefore lieacross an end of the reinforcement when the latter is placed in the loopabutting one rounded end. In placing the device in position that end ofthe lower loop 11 which is not restricted by the U-shaped portion 17 isslid downwardly over the upper end of a reinforcement extending upwardlyaway from a reinforced concrete structure being built until said upperend of the reinforcement enters the right hand end of the upper loop 10and engages the bend 17 of the U-shaped portion. This end is shown at18and it will be seen that the portion of the tether disposed on theinner side of the loop retains the reinforcement in a position whichleaves the other portion of the loop unobstructed.

The lower end of another reinforcement 19 can then be introduced intothe left hand end of the loop and slid downwardly until the lower endenters the left hand end of the loop 11 and engages the bend 17.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 3 each of the loops 10 and 11 areformed from flat strip metal 20 and are spaced apart and are secured toone another by tethers 21 also formed from flat strips and which arewelded to the outer sides of the loops.

Secured across the upper and lower edges of the loops respectivelytowards one end thereof are further strips 22 against which the ends ofthe reinforcements abut after having been assembled in the mannerdescribed above.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 4 each of the loops 10 and 11 isformed from metal strips which is bent into figure of eight formation,the upper edge of one of the portions of the figure of eight havingsecured across it a strip 23 and the lower edge of the other portion ofthe lower strip having corresponding strips 23 secured across it. Thetwo figures of eight loops are secured together by tethers in the formof two wires 24 which are located in the waists of the figures of eightand are welded thereto.

FIGURE 5 shows a somewhat similar construction to that of FIGURE 4 butthe figure of eight is formed from two separate strips of metal bentinto ring formation as indicated at 25 and which rings are weldedtogether at 26. The upper edge of one of the rings of the upper figureof eight has two inwardly bent lugs 27 and the lower edge of the otherof the two rings of the lower figure of eight has similar inwardly bentlugs 27. The two figures of eight are secured together by two tethers inthe form of strips 28 welded or brazed to the two rings respectively onthe outside thereof. In this arrangement the device is assembled on thereinforcements as set out with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 6 a spring metal strip 29 at each endof the device is bent into a shape approximating to a figure of three soas to provide open stockets 30, 31 facing in the same direction. Theupper edge of the upper strip is bridged at 32 over one of the socketsand the lower edge of the lower strip being similarly bridged over theother socket. The two strips are secured together by two tethers one inthe form of a wire 33 which is welded or brazed in the bight 34 betweenthe two sockets and the other in the form of a strip 35 which is weldedto the dividing wall 36 between the socket. With this arrangement thesockets can be sprung on to the reinforcements avoiding the necessity oflifting a reinforcement to any appreciable extent.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 7 is similar to that last describedexcept that each metal strip 37 is bent into S-formation so that theresulting sockets 38, 39 face in opposite directions, and the two metalstrips are joined together by two tethers 40, 41, formed from stripmetal, an extremity of each one being bent over at 42 to overlie one ofthe sockets.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURES 8 to 10 there are provided twospaced loops 10 and 11. One end of the upper loop 10 is bridged on itsupper side by an inverted U-shaped piece 50, which rests on top of thereinforcing rod 18. The other reinforcing rod 17 is shaped to provide aninflexion 51 so that when the end portions of the rods overlap the mainportions of the rods may be in axial alignment. The inflexion 51 mayengage the upper end of the rod 18 or even the top of the invertedU-shaped piece so as to prevent relative axial movement between the tworods in one direction. There are welded to both sides of the two loops10 and 11 on the inner sides thereof two tethering rods 52 which extendbeyond the loops 10 and 11 at 53 and 54 respectively, the extension 53serving to locate the inflexion 51 over the upper end of the rod 18.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE ll one of the reinforcements 42 whichprojects above floor level 43 of a structure being built has welded toit in spaced relationship two rings 43, 44 the latter being disposednear the upper end of the reinforcement. The lower ring has weldedacross its lower edge a cross bar 45. With such an arrangement all thatis required to do when assembling another reinforcement 46 is tointroduce the lower end thereof through the ring 44 and lower it untilit abuts against the cross bar 45 in the lower ring 43.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 12 each of the reinforcements 42 and46 has secured to it by welding a ring 47 disposed away from itsextremity and at least one of said rings is provided with a cross bar 48but to save selection of the suitable reinforcements preferably bothrings are provided with this cross bar. The lower free extremity of onereinforcement is lowered into the ring on the other reinforcement, thusbringing the ring on the first reinforcement into engagement with theupper free extremity of the other reinforcement.

I claim:

1. A holding and locating device for two overlapping structural memberscomprising two elements each arranged to encircle at least a part ofboth structural members, at least one tie member connected at oppositeends to the two elements respectively so as to space them apart, anabutment on at least one of said elements adapted to overlie an end faceof one of said structural members so as to prevent movement thereof inone direction relatively to the other member, means for preventingmovement in the opposite direction of the other structural memberrelative to the first said structural member, each of said elementsbeing in the form of a closed loop having means for maintaining astructural member at one end thereof leaving the other end clear forinsertion of the other structural member, one portion of each loop beingprovided with an abutment extending between opposite sides thereof so asto engage an end face of one of said structural members, said loopsbeing secured together by a single tether fixed to the inner sides ofthe loops and constituting the means for maintaining said structuralmembers at the ends of the loops, the tether being bent into U formationone limb of which extends across and is fixed to one side of the loopand the other limb is fixed to the other side of the loop.

2. A holding and locating device for two overlapping structural memberscomprising two elements each arranged to encircle at least a part ofboth structural members, at least one tie member connected at oppositeends to the two elements respectively so as to space them apart, anabutment on at least one of said elements adapted to overlie an end faceof one of said structural members so as to prevent movement thereof inone direction relative to the other member, means for preventingmovement in the opposite direction of the other structural memberrelative to the first said structural member, the means for preventingmovement of said other structural member relatively to the firststructural member comprising a laterally extending abutting face on saidother member adapted to overlie an end face of the first structural memher.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said laterally extendingabutting face is provided by an infiexion in said one member and is alsoformed that the main portion of that member may be brought into axialalignment with the other structural member which alignment is maintainedby said elements.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the laterally extendingabutting faceis provided by said outer member and is so formed that themain portion of that member may be brought into axial alignment withsaid one structural member which alignment is maintained by said elementand wherein two tethers connect said elements together and at one endhave extensions lying on opposite sides of said infiexion so as tomaintain the structural members in axial alignment.

5. A holding and locating device for two overlapping structural memberscomprising two elements each arranged to encircle at least a part ofboth structural members, at least one tie member connected at oppositeends to the two elements respectively so as to space them apart, anabutment on at least one of said elements adapted to overlie an end faceof one of said structural members so as to prevent movement thereof inone direction relative to the other member, means for preventingmovement in the opposite direction of the other structural memberrelative to the first said structural member, each of said elementsbeing in the form of a closed loop having means for maintaining astructural member at one end thereof leaving the other end clear forinsertion of the other structural member, one portion of each loop beingprovided with an abutment extending between opposite sides thereof so asto engage an end face of one of said structural members, each closedloop being substantially in the shape of a figure of 8 providing waistson opposite sides thereof, the loops being connected together by twotethers, the ends of one of which being disposed respectively in thewaist portions on one side of the two loops and the ends of the other ofwhich tether being disposed in waist portions on the other side of thetwo loops.

6. A holding and locating device for two overlapping structural memberscomprising two elements each arranged to encircle at least a part ofboth structural members, at least one tie member connected at oppositeends to the two elements respectively so as to space them apart, anabutment on at least one of said elements adapted to overlie an end faceof one of said structural members so as to prevent movement thereof inone direction relatively to the other member, means for preventingmovement in the opposite direction of the other structural memberrelative to the first said structural member, each said elementcomprising two rings secured side by side and encircling respectivelythe two structural members, tie members hein g provided for connectingthe elements together and each of which tie members 'being attached ateach end to a ring in that opposite side thereof to where the other ringis attached to it.

7. A holding and locating device for two overlapping structural memberscomprising two elements each arranged to encircle at least a part ofboth structural members, at least one tie member connected at oppositeends to the two elements respectively so as to space them apart, anabutment on at' least one of said elements adapted to overlie an endface of one of said structural members so as to prevent movement thereofin one direction relatively to the other member, means for preventingmovement in the opposite direction of the other structural memberrelative to the first said structural member, each said element beingS-shaped so that the two resulting bends partly encircle respectivelythe two structural members, two tie members being provided forconnecting the elements together and each of which tie members beingattached at each end to the center of one of the bends of an S-shapedelement.

8. A holding and locating device for two overlapping structural memberscomprising two elements each arranged to encircle at least a part ofboth structural members, at least one tie member connected at oppositeends to the two elements respectively so as to space them apart, anabutment on at least one of said elements adapted to overlie an end faceof one of said structural members so as to prevent movement thereof inone direction relative to the other member, means for preventingmovement in the opposite direction of the other structural memberrelative to the first said structural member, each said element being inthe shape of a figure 3 so that the two resulting bends partly encirclerespectively the two structural members, two tie members being providedwhich connect the two elements together, one of which tie members beinglocated and attached at each end in the bight formed between the convexfaces of the bends of the 7 figure 3 of one of the elements and theother of which tie members at each end being attached to the apex Wherethe two bends join one another.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 577,220 2/1897 \Vhitehead 287-1041,525,982 2/1925 Clarke et al. 287-103 2,490,316 12/1949 Ostrak 287104 81,433,420 10/1922 Seidts 248-302 3,154,196 10/1964 Loska, et a1 248-302FOREIGN PATENTS 87,151 11/1920 Switzerland.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examii'zer.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Examiner.

W. L. SHEDD, Assistant Examiner.

